First, the bad news. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is being diagnosed at a rate faster than any other cancer, and one person dies from the disease every 50 minutes. Of all the counties in Massachusetts, Barnstable County has the second highest number of melanoma diagnoses.

The good news is that, with daily sunscreen protection, melanoma is largely preventable. And thanks to a grant through the Melanoma Foundation of New England, free sunscreen dispensers will soon be installed at some of the area’s most popular beaches.